Saturday, August 15, 2009

Miko Andres, the world's youngest sharpshooter

Pictured here at the Armscor Shooting Club, Miko loads, aims and fires his semiautomatic weapon at moving targets. Complete with a gun belt, shades and a tailored shirt, Miko travels across the country participating in national junior competitions.

Competing against children ten years his senior (in the 9-17 age group), Miko is now looking to travel to America to test his talents.For Miko's father, Cresencio "Mike" Pascua Andres JR, the boy's passion and natural ability for practical shooting has been carefully monitored by his family and shooting community."It is within the family and friends that Miko was influenced to love and enjoy the practical shooting sport," says Mike. "Because of his interest, we took turns in teaching, training and coaching him on the basics of the sport."Practical shooting is one of the fastest growing sports in the Philippines and Miko took up the sport in January this year.Seven months later, Miko is fully versed in the strict laws of the sport.Despite the obvious dangers and concerns raised over a boy of six handling such a weapon, Mike is eager to stress that safety is always at the forefront of his mind.

Click here to read the rest of the article, which, BTW, reads like it's been translated from Choctaw to Philippino to English by someone using Google Translate. A rarity for British journalism.Here's a random video of Miko in action on the range: